Retropharyngeal and mediastinal abscess following adenoidectomy

Abstract

Adenoidectomy is one of the most common surgical procedures in children. On rare occasions it can be complicated by a retropharyngeal abscess (RA). We report the case of a 9-year-old girl with an RA extending to the mediastinum following adenoidectomy. The mediastinal collection was successfully treated with computed tomography-guided percutaneous drainage to avoid extensive surgical procedure. Surgeons should be aware of these dramatic complications and should avoid overzealous surgery in the removal of the adenoid tissue.